Outside the simulation — Yongcheng City, Qingcheng County.
In a quiet house, Lin Chen suddenly exclaimed:
> "There are many chosen people besides me…"
From the simulated content, he realized something terrifying—he was not the only one. There were others blessed with strange powers. The mysterious Nascent Soul genius he had faced earlier, though systemless, wielded a terrifying ability known as Devour.
Lin Chen shuddered. No one knew better than him what that meant. The very first novel he had ever read was about a Devouring System, one that consumed everything in its path.
But he also understood something crucial: that man was not the main protagonist. If he truly were, Lin Chen wouldn't have survived—the Devour power would have bypassed the simulation system entirely and consumed him outright.
The thought unsettled him. A bold question rose in his mind.
> "System… is it possible that we ourselves are being simulated by some powerful being?"
Less than a second later, a crisp notification echoed:
[Ding! Do not worry, Host. This system is Eternal—The Beginning and The End of Everything.]
The voice was steady, unwavering, filled with absolute confidence.
Lin Chen exhaled in relief. That confidence was enough for him.
As for the newly upgraded storage space, he could only sigh in admiration:
> "Fantastic."
---
Soon, another chime rang out.
[Ding! Reward settlement completed. The host may choose two of the following rewards.]
A dazzling list unfolded before his eyes:
Blue Talents: Alchemy Wizard / Comprehension Enhancement / Choice Increases
Cultivation: Peak-stage Great-Grandmaster, Early-stage Golden Elixir (with Supreme Foundation, talent upgraded to blue)
Experience: Marrow-Cleansing (blue), combat experience, muscle memory, perfected techniques, Complete Prison-Suppressing Divine Body comprehension, Sword Intent Lv.3, Spear Intent Lv.3, breakthrough experiences, Cooking mastery, and more.
Resources: Spirit stones worth 53.7 million, Complete Prison-Suppressing Divine Body technique, spiritual weapons, Yin-Yang fruit, Azure Green Lotus Flame, and more.
Detailed memory of everything seen in the simulation.
Lin Chen's gaze sharpened. This time, he didn't hesitate.
> "I'll bet on Choice Increases again."
That talent had saved him once already.
[Ding! Adjustment in progress… The host may now choose three rewards in each simulation. Two choices remain.]
A satisfied smile crossed his lips. Without delay, he picked Experience and Resources as his other two.
In an instant, a flood of memories crashed into his mind. Endless knowledge of alchemy, cultivation methods, martial arts, intents, cooking recipes, and life-and-death combat surged within him. His body resonated, refined, and condensed into a new form—the Entry-level Prison-Suppressing Divine Body.
Strength, vitality, vigor… everything rose to a new peak. He felt reborn.
Calming himself, Lin Chen opened his newly upgraded storage space.
Inside stretched a small world: mountains of spirit stones, countless worldly currencies, rare treasures, weapons, techniques, and even food he had cooked during past simulations. At the very center burned a peculiar flame—not the Azure Green Lotus Flame, but another fire glowing faintly, sealed by the frozen time of the storage dimension.
With his comprehension of the Complete Prison-Suppressing Divine Body, Lin Chen quickly realized: this flame was insufficient to push his body to the minor stage. For that, he would need rarer, mightier flames or divine treasures.
Still, he could use it in bulk during simulations. Yet the thought of fighting God-Transformation realm experts again for something of such limited use made him grimace.
> "Not worth it… not yet."
Shaking his head, he asked the system:
> "How many levels can you be upgraded?"
Even though he already knew the answer, he wanted confirmation.
[Ding! Host, the system can be upgraded one time.]
> "Do it. Upgrade and introduce the features."
[Ding! Upgrade to Level 8 successful. New feature unlocked: Talent Pool.]
A detailed explanation followed:
Talent Pool:
The host can now store talents he doesn't wish to use immediately.
Stored talents may be carried freely into simulations without carrying limits.
Only talents already claimed or previously owned can be stored. (Unclaimed talents are not added automatically.)
Lin Chen's heart leapt with excitement.
> "This… this is incredible."
---
Without hesitation, he launched a new simulation.
---
Inside the Simulation —
[In the 1246th year, a great battle erupted near your secluded cave. The clash of unfathomable beings shook heaven and earth. You attempted to flee, but before you could escape, the aftermath alone obliterated your body and soul.]
[Because of your death, this simulation ends.]
---
Outside the simulation —
Lin Chen's face turned pale, his heart trembling.
> "F…fuck. I died just because of the aftermath of a fight."
The thought horrified him to his core. He had a Supreme Foundation, countless talents, and experience beyond mortals—yet he was nothing but an ant before true powers.
If cultivators existed who could kill him by accident…
Then just how high did this world's cultivation ladder truly reach?